Billionaire businessman Andrej Babis has won parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic. However, his populist ANO party did not secure an overall majority, according to preliminary results.
Election Results and Majority Challenges
ANO received just under 35% of the vote, resulting in 81 seats in the 200-seat lower house. Babis, who was prime minister from 2017 to 2021, is expected to lead negotiations for a new coalition.
While election predictions held true, many questions remain. Few expected the centre-right coalition to survive, and most believed Babis would finish first but not gain enough seats to govern alone.
Babis’ Coalition Negotiations
Babis will begin coalition talks soon, possibly tonight. He needs to align with two smaller right-wing eurosceptic parties that crossed the 5% threshold: the anti-Green Deal Motorists for Themselves and the anti-immigrant Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party.
To form a majority, Babis likely needs alliances with both parties. ANO shares views with the Motorists on EU emissions targets and opposes financial burdens on households for cleaner energy, as well as the EU’s ban on petrol and diesel cars post-2035.
Potential Tensions in Coalition Talks
Relations with the SPD may prove more complicated. Their election alliance with far-right fringe parties means they may need to give up some seats. Okamura may not fully control his MPs, complicating coalitions.
Babis has ruled out a referendum on EU or NATO membership, a key demand for the SPD. His campaign included anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, criticizing the current government for prioritizing Ukrainian assistance over local issues, though Okamura’s deportation proposal for refugees might not gain traction.
